Sole-flexing machine.



W. A. BOND.

SOLE FLEXING MACHENE.

APPLICATION msn iuLY 24. mi.

1,293,470. Patented t. 31,1916.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. BOND, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

soin-FLEXING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it'known that I, WiLLIAM A. BOND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain newl tains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to sole flexing machines and more particularly to that type of such machines wherein the sole is progressively bent about a roll of comparatively small diameter in order to remove the stiffness in the sole and render it flexible-before it is attached to the shoe.

The object of the' present invention is to provide a sole flexing machine which will impart the greatest degree of flexibility to the sole and which will be capable of rapid operation.

In accordance with this object the invention com ises a sole exing machine hav# ing provision for holding and bending a sole back and forth across the normal plane of the sole.

In the best form of the invention at present devised there is provided a series of rolls, a pairof endless belts having a portion of their surfaces in Contact with each other, which portions pass alternately above and below the rolls, and means for feeding the belts. v

rThe features of the invention will be readily understood from the arrangement and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing which is a longitudinal section through the machine.

. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, a series of flexing rolls 10 are Kmounted on shafts 11 carried in suitable bearings at each end in a rectangular frame 12. A lower belt 13 is carried at the front of the machine by a roll 14 and at the -Slmciication of Letters Patent.

Application led J'uly 24, 1911.

p Patentedet. 31, 1916.

Serial No. 640,320.

prises two arms 17 mounted to oscillate about the shaft 18 of the driving roll, one

of the arms having an extension 19 to which is connected a contractile spring 20, the other end of which is connected to the frame 12. A roll 121 is carried at the free ends of the arms 17 and bears upon the belt 13.

An upper belt 21 is carried about idle rolls 22 and 23, mounted upon lugs projecting from the frame 12, and passes below the first flexmg roll 10 and between said roll and surface of the belt 13. rIhe belts 21 and 13 thus follow thel same course over and under the series of rolls 10.' A belt tightenmg roll 24 is mounted between the ends of a pair of arms 25 pivoted about theJ shaft of the idle roll 23 and acted upon by a spring 26 to keep a tension on the belt 21. v

The flexing rolls 10 are formed with end flanges 27 and at one end each of the rolls carries a sprocket wheel-28. The sprocket wheels are engaged by a chain 29 passing alternately above and below their centers in order to impart rotary motion in the same direction to all of the rolls 10. The chain is driven by a sprocket 30 fixed to the shaft 18 and it passes around a similar sprocket on the forward roll 14. The shaft 18 may be driven from-any suitable source of power by a belt passing about a pulley 31.

' In the operation of this machine a sole is inserted at the front, that is, at the right in the drawing, between the belts 13 and 21. Thebelts are traveling in the direction indicated by the arrows, which will draw the sole between them and carry it below the first roll 10 and above the second roll and so on until it is discharged at the rear of the machine. The spring actuated belt tightening devices applied to the two belts permit them to give somewhat to accommodate themselves to the thickness .of the sole. It is apparent that the sole is thus bent first about a center on its upper face and then about a center on its lower face, thus progressively bending the sole from end toend back and forth across the normal plane of the sole. The number of rolls employed may be varied as desired so as to give a. greater or less number of bends to the sole.

While it is preferred to employ the specific construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, it is to be understood that this construction and arrangement is not essential except in so far as specified in the claims. 4

What is claimed as new, is

1. A sole flexing machine, having in combination, a series of flexing rolls having their axes fixed in a common plane, a pair of endless belts contacting said rolls and deflected thereby in opposite directions for supporting soles between them, and driving means positively connected with each of said rolls to advance the contacting belts in the same direction and thereby bend a sole supported by the belts repeatedly back and forth across its normal plane.

2. A sole flexing machine, having in combination, a feeding-in roll, a delivering roll, a series of intermediate liexihg rolls, all of said rolls having their axes located in the same plane, two endless belts having portions of their surfaces in contact and adapted to support soles between them, said portions engaging and cooperating with said rolls, and means to actuate the rolls to ad-V vance the belts and dellect said portions in opposite directions as they are advanced.

3. A sole flexing machine, having in combination, flexible members for supporting a sole between them, guide rolls upon which the members are supported including a series of liexing rolls having their axes in a common plane and spaced apart at less distance than the length of a sole, means for tightening the flexible members to accommodate them for varying thicknesses of soles comprising additional idler rolls bearing yieldingly upon the flexible members,

and means for driving the flexing rolls to A -f advance the flexible members.

4. A sole flexing machine, having in combination, a series of rolls having their axes arranged in a common plane, a pair of endless belts alternately contacting thetop and bottom portions respectively of ad'acent rolls, gearing Ymounted on said rolls, and driving mechanism engaging the gearing of the rolls in a path substantially parallel with the belt winding for driving the rolls to advance the belt ina sinuous path.

5. A sole flexing machine, having in combination, a pair of endless belts having a portion of their surfaces in contact and adapted to support a sole between them, a series of three or more flexing rolls, having their axes spaced apart at less distance than the length of a sole, of which adjacent rolls are alternately above and below the belts, and driving mechanism for advancing the belts to bend the sole between the rolls in opposite directions at the same time.

6. A sole flexing machine, having in combination, a pair of endless belts between which a sole may be supported, a series of three or more rolls having their axes located in a common plane spaced at a less distance apart than the length of `a sole which c'ooperate with the outer sides of said belts for deiecting them laterally in opposite directions, and means for actuating the belts whereby different portions of the sole are bent in opposite directions at the same time fora plurality of times while the sole is under the influence of the rolls, substantially as described.

WILLIAM A. BOND. Witnesses:

NELSON B, Toon, EMMA J. HILTON. 

